Nut-lock



No. 6|3,776. Patented Nov. 8, I898.

.P. 0. PLAIN.

NUT LOCK.

(Application filed Mar. 14, 1898.,

(No Model.)

mi rwsses: Invenbf:

PERRY 0, PLAIN,

- UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

PERRY D. PLAIN, OF ATIVATER, ILLINOIS.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,776, dated November 8, 1898. Application filed March 14, 1898. $erial No. 673,733. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY D. PLAIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Atwater, Macoupin county, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nut-Locks; and my preferred manner of carrying out the invention is set forth in the following full, clear, and exact description, terminating with claims particularly specifying the novelty.

This invention relates to nut-locks, and more especially to that class thereof known as side and the object of the same is to produce an improved lock of this character ap plicable not only in its original form to nuts and bolts wherever employed, but also as an attachment to such nuts and bolts as now in general use.

To this end the invention consists in the details of construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed, all as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a rail whose bolt and nut are used in conjunction with my improved nut-lock. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the nut end of the bolt. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail showing a round washer which may be used in place of the square one illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a perspectivedetailshowinga modifled form of catch.

Referring to the drawings, the letter R designates the rail or other member with suitable fish-plates through which the bolt B is to be passed.

H is the head of the bolt, whose body is preferably squared, as at S, just beneath the head, and whose other end has threads T, and N is the nut engaging these threads, as usual.

Coming now more particularly to the present invention, the numeral 1 designates a square socket cut in one face of the fish-plate. 2 is a square washer seated for about half its thickness in said socket and having a central aperture through which the bolt projects, and 3 is a lug formed integral with and at one side of the Washer and projecting beyond the square aperture and having an eye 3 therethrough, as clearly seen in Fig. 1.

4 is a catch (possibly best illustrated in Fig. 3) which consists of a single piece of wire or the like, comprising at its center a body 40,

at the ends of the latter arms 41, bent out ward at right angles to the body, thence continued into arms 42, standing beneath the arms 41, and continued in parallel lines beyond the body, thence preferably forming coils 43, and finally bent inward toward each other in feet 44,which are passed into the ends of the eye in the lug 3. By the pivotal location of these feet within the eye of the lug the entire catch is adapted to be turned down against the outer face of the washer, so that the body 40 will stand against one face of the nut and the arms will spring inward against two other faces thereof, and it will be clear that by making said body and arms of proper shape they can be readily adapted to nuts other than square in contour.

In assembling the parts heretofore described the bolt B is passed through the rail R, the washer 2 seated in the aperture 1, the nut applied to the threads T'and screwed home against the washer, and finally the catch is turned down and its arms sprung laterally outward over the nut, so as to embrace it and preventits unscrewing. Then it is desired to remove the nut, the catch is raised out of engagement therewith, after which the nut is free to be turned as desired.

In Fig. 3 is shown a slight modification wherein the washer 20 is circular in contour and the aperture 21 through the same is oblong or oval to conform with the sectional shape of the bolt 13, which is made to correspond. Herein is illustrated a washer, of sheet metal, having a lip turned up at one edge to form an eye 21 instead of a lug 3, as above described, and in this eye are journaled the feet of the spring-catch above described. The operation is in all respects practically the same as above set forth, and it will be clear that the bolt may be square near its head and round where threaded or flattened where threaded and round near its head. It will also be clear that this washer needs no recess in the member R or fish-plate.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated a modified form of catch adapted for use with either construction of washer. This catch consists of a plate 50, notched, as at 51, at its outer edge, and at each side of the notch are arms 52, turned over into eyes 53, through which passes a pin 54, that, between the eyes, passes through the eye in the lug 3 of the square washer or the eye formed by the lip of the round washer, so as to form a pivot. The inner edge of this plate is in stamping cut, as seen in dotted lines, so as to form two side lips 55 and an end lip 56, and all said lips are turned up at right angles to the body of the plate to form a three-sided notch adapted to embrace at least three faces of the nut. The operation is substantially the same as above set forth. In all cases it is to be understood that the side spring arms or lips of the catch are intended to be so bent or to normally stand in such a position that when the catch is turned down into engagement with the nut these arms or lips will spring inward and bear frictionally against opposite sides of the nut to prevent accidental displacement of the catch.

hat I claim as new is 1. In a nut-lock, the combination with the locked member,tl1e bolt passing therethrough, and the nut on the bolt; of a washer surrounding the bolt beneath its nut, an eye at one side of the washer, and a catch pivoted in said eye and having an opening whose inner end contacts with one face of the nut and whose sides bear with yielding force on additional faces thereof, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a nut-lock, the combination with the locked membeigthe bolt passing therethrough, and the nut 011 the bolt; of a washer surrounding the bolt beneath its nut, an eye at one side of the washer, and a catch consisting of a single piece of spring-wire bent into a body at its center adapted to engage one face of the nut, two outwardly-projecting arms at the ends of the body, two inwardly extending arms leading from said outwardly-projecting arms, all said arms being adapted to spring inward into engagement with the side faces of the nut, eyes in the inwardly-extending arms, and pivotal connections between said arms of the catch and the eye of the washer, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a nut-lock, the combination with the locked member,the bolt passing therethrough, and the nut on the bolt; of awasher surrounding the bolt beneath its nut, an eye at one side of the washer, and a catch consisting of a singlepiece of spring-wire bent into a transversely-extending body at the center of its length, two outwardly-projecting arms at the ends of the body, two inwardly-extending arms leading from said outwardly-projecting arms inwardly past said body, and inturned feet on said inwardly-extending arms journaled in the eye of the washer, as and for the purpose set forth.

i. In a nut lock, the combination with the locked member having a rectangular recess in one face, a bolt through this member, and a nut on the bolt; of a rectangular washer seated for part of its thickness in and fitting closely the shape of said recess and having a thin lug projecting from one side over the face of the member and pierced with a lateral eye, and a catch journaled in the eye and whose body is shaped to embrace more than two side faces of the nut, as and for the pur pose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my signature on this the 7th day of March, A. D. 1898.

PERRY D. PLAIN.

Witnesses:

J. W. MolNTYnn, OHAs. P. BRowN. 

